Although they may be used loose, vises are most often affixed to a surface for rigidity. With much heavier cast parts, they are usually more robust and massive than clamps . Extremely high pressures can be exerted. Designs and sizes vary considerably according to use. Price also varies greatly with the quality, alignment and precision. Generally one jaw slides in a keyway, moved by a screw, with heavy Acme (square) threads on heavier designs. For any precise work, play in the slide and threads should be tight; but they should move freely, without bind. All too often hobby and cheap vises are sloppy, making them only marginally better than nothing for accurate work. Most vises are clamped or screwed in place, but some have vacuum suction devices, which sometimes work on smooth, clean, non-porous surfaces.
Small, good quality, light duty vices are quite useful and sufficient for many hobby applications. Even though it is only fairly tight, the X-acto, small plastic vise is quite useful as a third hand for many light jobs like holding truck parts while inserting springs, during assembly. Having vee grooves across them to hold odd shaped parts, the plastic jaws are soft enough to reduce damage, with light pressure. Often it is stable enough for use without the suction base. It is not good for filing, sanding, drilling and other forceful jobs.
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X-ACTO MINI-VISE, 1 1/8" opening.
With 4 positionable plastic pins, a watchmaker's case holder can hold many irregularly shaped objects securely for light work. In addition to hand holding, it can easily be clamped in a vise.
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CASE HOLDER 1 1/8" opening at pins.
Larger and more flexible, Amati makes a ship builder's vise that clamps on bench edge. On each of the two relatively flat, 4 1/4" wide jaws, 32 holes accept pins to secure oddly shaped objects. Jaw opening is about 2" and pin perpendicular maximum is about 4". It provides a very stable work base.
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AMATI VISE
Most of the smaller and even some larger, inexpensive, clamp-on vises are sloppy and trial and error is expensive. Some don't even make good paper weights.
Small machinist and patternmaker vises are available, but some are quite expensive. Although most are designed for clamping to machine tool tables, many are heavy and stable enough to be used loose. Since faces and jaws are usually precision ground to accurate right angles for alignment, often they can be stood on sides, ends or bases effectively. To prevent finger injury and maintain alignment, they are indispensable for drillpresses and milling machines to hold odd shaped pieces securely. Some larger sizes are tiltable or horizontally positionable with feed screws for accurate alignment. At least one has special jaws and attachments for driver quartering.
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MAXICRAFT DRILLPRESS VISE, 1 1/16" opening.
side slots for screw mounting
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UNIMAT VISE, 1 1/8" opening.
mounted on milling table
countersunk mounting screws visible on table
Allen wrench tightening
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C-5 MILLING VISE, 1 3/16" opening.
countersunk screw holes visible on slides
same basic design as Unimat above
T bar and open end or box wrench tightening
Some vises of this type are specialized or modified for particular uses. One example is the DEAN DOWNER ASSOCIATES MULTI-VISE, _ which serves as a quartering jig. It is heavy and stable enough to be used free standing on the bench for other uses as well.
By both swivelling and turning, multi-position vises are very handy to set work at the right angle for tool application. An inexpensive version from Micro-Mark does very well.
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MULTI-POSITION VISE. 2.3" w x 1.7 opening.
Probably the most flexible vise system available, the larger, excellent quality, PANA-VISE system is tiltable, turnable and changeable. A variety of heads are available using standard jaws with steel, aluminum or nylon faces; long, padded bar clamps and circuit board bar clamps. Base variety includes low and high screw mount and vacuum. Mounting accessories include a bench clamp, a very heavy, square SURFACE PLATE , _and a large, heavy, circular, compartmented plate which can mount several soldering accessories. All are interchangeable, making selection and combinations slightly overwhelming. The convenience of quick change in positions and even heads, is invaluable; but not inexpensive. Some clones have parts and accessories that are interchangeable.
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PANAVISE
standard head w/ vacu-base
Although the vacu-base holds much better than most, after an extended period the wet suction cup dries, loosening its grip.
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PANAVISE BAR CLAMP HEAD
6 1/2" outside, 7 3/8" inside, rubber pads
The bar clamp is very useful for holding objects softly, at odd positions, but unfortunately length is too short to hold some rolling stock lengthwise.
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PANAVISE CIRCUIT BOARD HEAD
High base unit.
Round plate with tapped holes for solder and iron holders.
Longer bars are available for large scale use.
This circuit board holder was originally acquired for use in our computer service center, where it received many blemishes and stains from hot solder and flux. Cleaned up a bit, it now holds large structure sides for detailing. The arms on the cross bar have vee grooves, which hold edges securely and one is spring loaded. The base now holds tools, paint, cement and parts.
They also offer a 10" x 10" surfaceplate, which is drilled and tapped to mount a base unit in one corner. Although not a high precision plate, it is accurate enough for almost all hobby work.
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SURFACE PLATE.
Checking a smokebox center hight after frame and driver modifications.
Larger still is the plastic BLACK & DECKER WORKMATE HOBBYCRAFTER VISE. It is tiltable and turnable and locked with a latch lever. With two independent tightening screws, the 8" long, rubber padded jaws open to 2 7/8" and can be skewed. Four swiveling dogs on top extend outside grip to 5 3/4". The dog inside grip is 4 1/2" to 7 1/4". Turning them around inside grip is 1 9/15" to 2 1/8". Round and irregular shapes may be held by pivoting dogs. A wire bench clamp is provided. It is very convenient for holding larger pieces and structures at angles, during detailing.
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HOBBYCRAFTER VISE
For those times when a fastened vise is impractical, various sizes and types, hand-held versions are available. Although they usually have a fairly weak grip, many locking tweezers can be used in tight situations. Small Vise-grip type pliers serve well for firmer grips. More specialized types exist.
Useful in tight spots; one, similar in size to a #1 knife handle, uses a slide ring to clamp the two center notched jaws. The grip is secure , but unfortunately the notches are too large.
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PEN VISE
Jewelers use a ring clamp or vise with square and round ends to hold variously shaped, delicate pieces. Replaceable leather inserts grip object firmly without damage. A wedge force into the opposite end varies applied pressure. These are particularly useful during grinding down lugs on detail casting or cleaning them. Care must be exercised with metal parts, since heat builds up rapidly, which may burn leather. The bulky 7" handle provides a firm comfortable grip.
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RING CLAMP
To handle larger objects, a miniature, true screw is mounted on a handle with an overall 7" length. Cross grooves can hold round stock. The movement is a little sloppy, but of little importance in hand work. Grip is secure.
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HAND VISE
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